Heaven’s Shadow

After proposing his terms, Lu Chen left the room and waited in the tavern along with the other two.

A short period of negotiation behind closed doors passed, and the three of them stepped out. The middle-aged man approached Lu Chen and said, "I will first pay you half of the price. When we find the item, we will pay the other half to you."

Lu Chen lifted his head, smiled at him, and nodded his head.

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Stepping out from the Southern Gates of the Moonfang City, taking the main roadway that was almost flat if not for frequent clusters of unwanted weed, one could see quite a number of commuters, as well as two towering mountains in the distance. The path seemed to extend all the way to the foot of the mountains.

Lu Chen walked alongside his three hirers, who had already introduced themselves. The middle-aged man was called Han Nanzu, the young man was named He Gang, and the pretty young lady was known as Yi Xin. However, their introduction stopped here. There wasn't a single word about their backgrounds and identities. In fact, it was difficult to even tell whether their names were true.

Nevertheless, Lu Chen paid the matter no heed at all. In a chaotic and turbulent location such as the Confounding Lands, everyone had to be careful. Besides, Han Nanzu and the others had not inquired Lu Chen about his history as well. Or rather, perhaps they knew that they would not be able to get much from Lu Chen's words.

After some distance, Lu Chen pointed to the two mountains ahead and smiled gently to the trio, "Of the two mountains in front, the one on the left is known as Tiger Mountain whereas the one on the right is known as Dragon Mountain. There is a valley in between them and most people refer to it as 'Heaven's Thread' or 'Leaping Tiger Gorge'. It was said that very long ago, someone had witnessed a pair of majestic tigers leaping from a mountain to the other, and that's the origin of the name."

"Ah? Could it be that there really are ferocious tigers on the Tiger Mountain?" Hearing those words, Yi Xin asked curiously.

Lu Chen smiled silently while He Gang harrumphed and said, "Junior Sister, these are just rumors, how can you take them for real?"

Yi Xin's face flushed. "Wu", she whimpered, seemingly embarrassed, and Lu Chen pretended to be oblivious to her words. In addition, he looked forward and smiled, "After passing through the Leaping Tiger Gorge, we will have officially entered the Confounding Lands. Even though there will not be much danger at the start, the further in we tread, the greater the distortion of Five Elemental Spiritual Energy. The demonic beasts would also get increasingly aggressive and powerful, so please be careful."

Han Nanzu nodded his head slightly, and before he could say anything, He Gang said flatly, "It's just the exterior of the Confounding Lands. We will naturally deal with any danger we meet. On the other hand, judging from your cultivation, I hope you do not pull us down."

"Senior Brother." Unable to stand He Gang's words, Yi Xin called out to him. Also, Han Nanzu, who was walking in front of them, frowned slightly.

Lu Chen did not seem angry in the least. On the contrary, he smiled, "What Brother He said makes sense. In terms of cultivation, I am unable to match up to any of you. All I possess are just some basic skills to protect myself. If we meet with danger in the future, I will try my best to hide and not bring any trouble to you three. However, if I am in peril, I hope that Brother He will not be stingy with your assistance."

Hearing Lu Chen's subservient words, He Gang's expression eased greatly and a look of glee appeared on his face. "Naturally, we are depending on you to lead us to the 2-mark Dusk Mist Flower."

Lu Chen chuckled as he clasped his hands together, "Then, I will be thanking Brother He in advance."

He Gang simply chuckled in response and walked forward, his palms crossed together at his back.

Witnessing the situation, Han Nanzu frowned. He seemed to want to say something, but eventually, he simply shook his head and remained silent.

After travelling for around an hour, they finally arrived at the Leaping Tiger Gorge that Lu Chen spoke of. Standing at the foot of the green mountains, they noticed that the surrounding woods had become dense, and even the temperature seemed to have fallen tremendously. A valley was cut between the two mountains, and there was only a single, winding path through it. Even at its widest, the path was only seven chi wide.

(1 chi -> 33.3cm)

Even though the Leaping Tiger Gorge wasn't as lively as Moonfang City, there were still some passers-by. Judging from their appearance and mock up, they seemed to all be cultivators, with the exception of those in Lu Chen's trade, similarly acting as a guide. Whenever people passed by each other, a clear look of wariness would appear in their eyes. Clearly, they were cautiously guarded against one another.

Needless to say, those who were treading to and fro the Leaping Tiger Gorge were either on their way to the Confounding Lands or returning from it. Under Lu Chen's lead, Han Nanzu and the two members set foot into the Leaping Tiger Gorge.

Upon entering the valley, the environment changed yet again. On the cliffs by the both sides of the gorge, ancient trees and vines could be seen. From time to time, strangely-shaped rocks would come into sight unexpectedly. Sometimes, springs would emerge and flowing, algae-filled creeks would appear, and they would converge to form a stream. It felt as though a different sight appeared before them with every single step that they took.

It appeared to be Yi Xin's maiden visit to the Confounding Lands. Viewing the scenery around her, she was completely awed. Occasionally, when she saw an exceptionally exquisite scenery, she would leap in joy. She seemed to be an innocent child, and she added liveliness and joy to the journey.

The path in the Leaping Tiger Gorge was winding, narrow, and long. But fortunately, the journey had been peaceful. Another hour later, they arrived at the exit out of the valley and saw a gigantic, upright boulder standing at the very end of the path. On it, the word 'Confounding' was inscribed.

The four of them paused by the boulder. Han Nanzu and the other two traded glances and their expression became serious.

After passing this boulder, they would formally be within the Confounding Lands. For many years, this plot of land had been reputed by the menacing threats that lay within. Countless cultivators had been devoured by the lands since ancient times.

In comparison, Lu Chen seemed the most carefree of the group. He walked forward to pat on the boulder lightly before turning around to smile at Han Nanzu and the others. Then, he walked past the boulder.

Han Nanzu and the others quickly followed behind him.

Immediately after exiting the Leaping Tiger Gorge, Han Nanzu and the others abruptly felt a mysterious and inconceivable sensation. It could be described as a formless, intangible wind, and the spiritual energy within their dantian spirit sea jolted. However, when they took a look within, they noticed that there were not many peculiarities.

Lu Chen started speaking, "We've just entered the Confounding Lands, so the distortion of the Five Elements isn't clear to see yet. At the very least, within a thousand li of the outer regions of the territory, the distortion does not have much of an effect on human cultivators, so please do not be alarmed."

Han Nanzu nodded his head calmly. It seemed that he had some experience traveling in the Confounding Lands. " Brother Lu, thank you for your advice. So, where do we head now?"

Lu Chen replied, "The nearest location where the 'Dusk Mist Flowers' you are looking for blooms is the Black Armored Mountain, 150 li in the Southwest direction from where we are now. However, the terrain en route is a somewhat difficult to traverse, and it is likely that we will meet with obstructions on the way. Thus, the journey should take around a day or two."

Han Nanzu nodded his head and said, "Since that's the case, we had better get moving quickly."

Lu Chen nodded his head with a smile in reply before leading them forward. Lifting his head to look at the sky, he saw the peaceful blue of the late-autumn. Several white clouds drifted idly in the sky.

In the distance, beyond visible sight of the four travelers, high up in the sky, a few gleams of swords charged out abruptly at high speeds from amidst the clouds, crossing the horizons, and headed toward the depth of the Confounding Lands.

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